Colorado Enchiladas
Ancho and New Mexican dried chiles combine with adobo sauce and a sliver of chocolate to create an unbelievably satisfying sauce, served up enchilada style!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 Ancho dried chiles
- 4 New Mexican dried chiles
- 1/2 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- sliver of dark chocolate
- 1 chicken breast
- 3-4 cups water
- 8-10 corn tortillas
- Monterey Jack cheese
- 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- Mexican Crema ((optional))
- Cotija cheese ((optional))
Instructions
- 1
Roughly chop 1/2 an onion and peel 3 garlic cloves. Add the onion and garlic to a dollop of oil in a saucepan and saute on medium heat for 5-8 minutes.
- 2
Remove the stems and de-seed the dried chiles. Wipe off any dusty crevasses and tear the chiles into smaller pieces.
- 3
Add the chiles to the onion mixture along with 3 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- 4
Bring mixture to a boil. Slice a chicken breast in half lengthwise and add it to the mixture. If the chicken isn't fully submerged add a bit more water. Reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover.
- 5
Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Set chicken aside, covering in foil to retain moisture.
- 6
Add the remaining sauce mixture to a blender and combine well. (Always use caution when blending warm ingredients.)
- 7
And now take a taste of the sauce. If it tastes bitter to you then you're a candidate for some sauce sweetening.
- 8
Strain the sauce, pushing the mixture through a sieve using a spoon.
- 9
Return the strained sauce to the saucepan and simmer over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of adobo sauce and a sliver of chocolate (both are optional).
- 10
Let simmer until reduced to a thicker consistency, approximately 15-30 minutes
- 11
Take a final taste for salt.
- 12
Shred the chicken using two forks and combine in a bowl along with a pinch of salt, some finely chopped onion, and a few spoonfuls of the sauce.
- 13
Warm up 8-10 corn tortillas in the oven for a couple minutes. (Or cover them with damp paper towels and nuke them for 60 seconds.)
- 14
Add a few spoonfuls of the sauce to a plate. Dredge a tortilla in the sauce and then flip it over, filling it with the chicken mixture and cheese.
- 15
Roll tight and add to a baking dish seam side down. You can line the baking dish with sauce to prevent sticking.
- 16
Continue rolling until all the chicken is gone. Add the remaining sauce to the top of the enchiladas.
- 17
Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately. Optional garnishes include Crema and Cotija cheese.